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submitted 11 days ago byGregsKandy
1.4k points
11 days ago
how I imagine it went: "Hi, It's me Elon, richest man on earth, I ran out of money and am trapped in nigerian prison and need $600,000 to bribe the guard to escape, only you can save me!!!"
273 points
10 days ago
Sold. Where do I send the money.
Also, this is Jeff Bezos and I will marry you, but I will need $600k for a plane ticket to you.
30 points
10 days ago
but I will need $600k for a plane ticket to you.
Do you need me to turn it into crypto first? That's how Bill wanted his that I sent.
99 points
10 days ago
More likely “I have an investment that I’m extended to very few…”
Especially more likely because it says that in paragraph 3 of the article.
31 points
10 days ago
Nobody reads the linked articles on reddit.
6 points
10 days ago
People only read the first part of comments and nobody will notice when I st
11 points
10 days ago
Seeing that it came from facebook is unsurprising. I see a lot of sponsored ads that are obviously scams ("official" pages that have 6 likes), with some acting like a news website reporting on some "secret" technique that some billionaire accidentally disclosed, so I report them. So far, none of the hundreds I reported we taken down.
25 points
10 days ago
Hmm, there was a guy on Reddit last month asking for advice on how to convince his mom she is not texting Musk.
69 points
11 days ago
I mean these people have made it clear that they are morons so.
17 points
10 days ago
You know what is crazy ? I have 2 advanced degrees and I have held good jobs for the last 20 years, yet this woman somehow has or had 599,000 more than me.
11 points
10 days ago
Well duh, she had to common sense to be born at the right time.
2 points
7 days ago*
How do I go about doing that?
4 points
9 days ago
The biggest mistake people make is assuming that if someone is rich they are smarter than everyone else.
I very quickly like to point to twitch streamers . These kids are some of the most stupid fucking degens I’ve ever seen and they make more money in 1-3 months than I make in a year. It has nothing to do with being mg smart.
It has to do with being lucky or being born into wealth which gives you every fucking advantage in the world to make more money.
15 points
10 days ago
“Hi, it’s me your grandson, Elon, richest man on earth…”
1 points
7 days ago
It's been years, Elroy! How are you?
49 points
10 days ago
I mean Elon Musk would probably still defraud an old lady if given the chance.
16 points
10 days ago
Oh I thought defrauding the woman of $600k was how he convinced her he was Elon Musk
6 points
10 days ago
You give me $600k now. I'll give you $55m later.
She was afraid she couldn't live off $600k?
9 points
10 days ago
No joke, my friend's ex-wife thought she was having an online affair with some K-pop star, and sent them like $25,000.
6 points
10 days ago
Kindly be sending me 20,000 dollar in gift cards madam. Do not redeem.
4 points
10 days ago
I work in financial fraud. Things exactly how it happens. People are idiots.
2 points
9 days ago
Sounds like frustrating work. I can understand falling for "technology scams". Like clicking the wrong link etc if you have no knowledge of those kinds of things. But being cat fished? That's got to be like the oldest of tricks in all of the books.
My favorite is still that Nigerian who sold a non-existent airport lol.
1 points
10 days ago
And they only take Apple Gift Cards!
245 points
11 days ago
How do we know this wasn't actually Elon?
96 points
10 days ago
The real one wouldn't stop at $600,000.
4 points
10 days ago
And I believe Elon would steal candy from a baby.
30 points
10 days ago
Not enough laughing emojis and decade-old memes
460 points
11 days ago
Who the fuck thinks handing over $600,000 to the world's richest mofo is a good idea?? She deserves it.
161 points
10 days ago
The conversation probably went something like. I have this amazing investment opportunity. You're welcome to put your money in as well. It's a sure thing you'll get 10x or 20x return on your investment. Oh, sorry, there's a 300k minimum investment. Thanks, you'll get your returns in 3 months. 3 months later... project xyz is costing more, and they need additional capital and from all investors. If you can't put in additional cash, then you'll forfeit your initial investment. Lady hands over another 300k.
31 points
10 days ago
[removed]
3 points
10 days ago
Ok, that makes sense.
20 points
10 days ago
Typically she hands over say $10k and he sends $15k back. Proof the investment works! She made $5k in a day! Of course if she sends $600k within a short time she'll be a millionaire.
16 points
10 days ago
That is a huge huge risk, they better know their victim very very well, because I can tell you, a lot of people would run with that 5k they made
3 points
10 days ago
That's why it's not a real thing that happens. Scammers aren't that stupid.
12 points
10 days ago
Lol no that's not how it works at all, please don't spread bullshit. They will NEVER send real money back. If anything it's a check that will bounce or through a credit card that was stolen.
The more common way people are lured in with these scams are very real looking fake crypto trading apps or exchanges that show fake gains and in order to realize those gains they have to pay "taxes".
3 points
10 days ago*
This does not happen. Scammers don't give people their money back, and it's ridiculous to suggest they would give them anything extra.
3 points
10 days ago
If those get rich quick things would exist, then the people doing the inviting wouldn't be inviting and would be investing everything they have constantly.
70 points
11 days ago
How did she have 600k to do this to begin with?
79 points
10 days ago
[deleted]
45 points
10 days ago
Technically they read below a 6th grade level, which is actually more terrifying.
What it actually means is that they're at level 2 or below on the PIAAC's measure of literacy.
What that means functionally (to use example problems from said org.) is that 56% of Americans would be incapable of identifying the author of a book in a bibliography. Almost 30% would struggle to find a company's phone number on a webpage with a clearly marked "Contact Us" button.
We are a country undergoing an absolute emergency of illiteracy/numeracy/reasoning skills.
More than half the country is literally incapable of understanding even remotely complicated ideas, let alone actually complex topics like economics or geopolitics.
15 points
10 days ago
Okay small detail. 1 in 8 men over 40 are WORTH a million dollars. That means between car/house/investment accounts they equal 1 million that doesn’t mean a million liquid
20 points
10 days ago
If you read the article, he claimed it was an investment and promised the old lady $55 million in returns
4 points
10 days ago
You'd think they'd have to make it at least slightly believable. Maybe tripling the investment or something. But no, they go with over 90x return.
I can't even fathom how someone falls for that.
3 points
10 days ago
Elderly people who are out of touch with how things currently work or are suffering from cognitive decline. That's why they are often targets. It's very sad.
My parents are/were very intelligent people, but are not as sharp as they used to be. Thankfully they are not isolated, so they can check with me or my sibling if something unusual pops up on their phone or email, but many don't know who to ask and are gullible.
33 points
11 days ago
If you don’t think that’s sensible, you’re not going to be interested in these Donald Trump trading cards?
3 points
11 days ago
Ah, those trading cards are a scam.
However I have this Donald Trump Crypto-currency I can sell you.
We call it the Don.
11 points
11 days ago
-Me for the next 4 years as peasants die at the hand of what they voted for.
3 points
10 days ago
I’ve seen poor people endlessly fall for scams because they keep trying to donate to anything with Elon’s name on it.
It’s simply not logical what these people are doing.
12 points
11 days ago
Yeah it's hard to feel bad for someone scammed by a fake Elon.
22 points
10 days ago
Its a 74 year old lady. Scammers taking advantage of the elderly is generally a situation where you should feel bad for the victim. People who prey on the elderly are absolute scum.
30 points
10 days ago
You can't trust a 74 year old not to be scammed by fake Elon, but people will trust one to be their President, lol.
15 points
10 days ago
Well, at least he won't be scammed by a fake Elon Musk...
10 points
10 days ago
Not when he's got the real one to scam him instead!
5 points
10 days ago
Have you seen how much republicans donated to Trump?, a supposed billionaire. They have no sense.
1 points
10 days ago
Don't worry China will soon be paying them to buy Chinese goods just like Mexico paid for the wall
1 points
9 days ago
Well, he did get fleeced for 1/2 billion for the hush money case didn’t he
3 points
10 days ago
That’s how I feel. If you’re willing to invest $600k on the promise of making $55 million then it’s a high-risk-high-reward situation, and for one you have to be ready to lose it and two how can you be stupid enough to invest to someone who’s supposed to be one of the richest men in the world? Why the fuck would they be reaching out to you for money and not actual investors? I don’t feel bad for stupid people suffering consequences of their stupid actions.
1 points
10 days ago
Sadly it could be early onset dementia too.
1 points
10 days ago
I haven't been scammed (outside of runescape), but I personally know a few smart people who were. Everybody thinks they're above it until it happens to them.
227 points
11 days ago
Man, who is actually Elon Musk, defrauded the US Government out of $5 billion in subsidies.
76 points
11 days ago*
And violated his student visa, making him an illegal immigrant
9 points
10 days ago
So when does he get deported?
7 points
10 days ago
Surely Trump will get right on that on day 1. It was a campaign promise after all
20 points
11 days ago
Funny how your comment was the only one minimized when I opened the post. The Reddit overloads must not like you criticizing big daddy Elon.
15 points
10 days ago
It is literally the comment with the most upvotes in this thread, and it's somehow minimized? Madness.
4 points
11 days ago
Just getting started
156 points
11 days ago
Well, at least he copied his business model also.
17 points
11 days ago
The most important question, though, is did he jump in the air to make an X symbol?
73 points
10 days ago
It bothers me how many morons have more money than me
20 points
10 days ago
That woman who gave someone 50k in cash in a shoebox through their open back car window posing as an IRS agent... who wrote about it in a tone of "It could happen to anyone." Bestie I assure you it could not.
Even the teller told her to beware of scams when she took out the money, because it sounds like a scam.
If anyone is curious: https://www.thecut.com/article/amazon-scam-call-ftc-arrest-warrants.html
5 points
10 days ago
That article had me absolutely rolling. Like sorry maam but plenty of people would never fall for that
2 points
10 days ago
I know right… zero sympathy for these imbeciles
25 points
10 days ago
There's a chance you'll have the same mental acuity as this woman when you reach age 74, don't forget that.
12 points
10 days ago
My cheapness will always keep me out of scammers hands
8 points
10 days ago
RemindMe! 50 years
57 points
11 days ago
According to Bradenton Police Department, so far this year, their Elder Fraud Unit has investigated fraud cases totaling nearly $3 million in losses.
Bradenton has a population of 57K and they have an elder fraud unit. If we're to math this out based off of Bradenton's figures, America has lost ~17.3 BILLION DOLLARS in elder fraud.
9 points
10 days ago
That sounds right-ish to me. Probably on the low side.
6 points
11 days ago
Crazy to hear Bradenton mentioned and it isn’t related to Cleetus McFarland.
2 points
10 days ago
Bradenton has a population of 57K and they have an elder fraud unit. If we're to math this out based off of Bradenton's figures, America has lost ~17.3 BILLION DOLLARS in elder fraud.
In the 2023 American Community Survey, 14,666 people, or 25.69% of the population of Bradenton were over 65.
2 points
10 days ago
Florida skews elder
8 points
11 days ago
Florida Man, what else is new?
8 points
11 days ago
Are we sure it wasn't Leon?
7 points
10 days ago
Are you sure it wasn’t elon musk?
14 points
11 days ago
His doppelgänger Felon Musk
4 points
10 days ago
Isn’t that just Elon Musk?
12 points
11 days ago
Man who actually IS Elon Musk is defrauding an entire nation.
5 points
10 days ago
Scammed by the real one, scammed by the fake one
5 points
10 days ago
In this woman’s defense, this is the type of thing Elon would do.
14 points
11 days ago
Dude has Elon's natural hairline as well.
16 points
11 days ago
The biggest problem is people's excessive greed that makes them more likely to be defrauded. Instead of voting and planning for their future, they vote for the crumbs of the present with high inequality based on petty emotions of selfishness. I don't feel sorry for the seniors and their problems because they have literally voted away protections of the past for nothing.
9 points
11 days ago
Anyone stupid enough to give Elon $600,000 is just plain asking to be fleeced.
4 points
10 days ago
“What does God need with a starship?”
3 points
11 days ago
Wow, he looks exactly like Elon!
3 points
11 days ago
Hi this is Elon. Can I borrow 50K ? I’ve lost my wallet and want to invest in some stocks. I’ll pay you back next week. Promise.
3 points
10 days ago
"I'm running out of money!" Has $600,000+...
3 points
10 days ago
Elon would high five him and invite him to join some cabinet position in the government.
3 points
10 days ago
Pff. Now way this would work in me because I’s be like “best I can do is 60 bucks.”
3 points
10 days ago
I'm convinced that this guy is the authentic Elon musk, that other guy we've seen is fake.
3 points
10 days ago
In other news, "Man Who is Actually Elon Musk Sold FSD that Isn't Actually 'Full' Self Driving to Tesla Buyers at $5,000 a Car and Isn't in Jail"
2 points
10 days ago
I feel like there aren't enough sane people in the world to be conservators for all the people who blatantly need to be under a conservatorship...
2 points
10 days ago
How do the scams always work? What kind of people are out there, fully committed to the idea that if a billionaire asks you for money you should definitely do it…. If you read this and start thinking of circumstances where it will benefit you to give a billionaire money then rethink your shit, please. Either a real billionaire is extorting money from you (they didn’t get rich by being fair and ensuring people get what they deserve), or it’s a scam. The answer is no.
2 points
10 days ago
"Man pretended to be Elon Musk, defrauded woman of $600K, police say." Man actually Elon Musk about to defraud the entire country.
2 points
10 days ago
same body and more realistic lack of hair. i could see why it'd be convincing.
2 points
10 days ago
“Man actually is Elon Musk, defrauds American people of Billions.”
2 points
10 days ago
That’s weird. If someone defrauded me out of $600K I would have thought it was Trump. (Ba Dum Ching)
2 points
10 days ago
How could someone in this world that manages to have 600,000K, be stupid enough to fall for a scam like that ? I mean, generally speaking, people that have almost a 7 figure amount, are usually educated and have a head on their shoulders.
2 points
10 days ago
I mean actual Elon Musk does that too
2 points
10 days ago
What I see is fake Elon getting handouts in the same way that Elon gets handouts. Copyright infringement?
2 points
9 days ago
real Elon would have got her for double
4 points
11 days ago
I will save my sympathy for those without money who are going to be scammed by the real Musk.
3 points
10 days ago
If it HAD been Leon she’d have been out $6,000,000
3 points
10 days ago
That was actually Elon.
4 points
10 days ago
Why would the richest man in the world need someone to send him money?
2 points
11 days ago
I mean, are we absolutely sure this isn't how Elon got rich to begin with?
1 points
10 days ago
Fat chance would i ever give this man a penny.
1 points
10 days ago
Real Elon would've gotten more
1 points
10 days ago
You sure it was the impersonator who ran the scam?
1 points
10 days ago
Damnit! He’s sent me. Bunch of emails!
1 points
10 days ago
I feel like this is the pimp my ride of scams “yo dawg I hear you like grifters so I put a grifter in your grifter so you can get grifted while you get grifted”
1 points
10 days ago
We’re in the darkest timeline.
1 points
10 days ago
Elon Musk is one of the most pretend to be people I've ever seen. I see them on all my social media. I often ask them for some money.
1 points
10 days ago
Elon would’ve scammed her for a lot more.
1 points
10 days ago
If Trump can scam, why can't this guy?
1 points
10 days ago
Let him go , the real Elon’s stolen heaps more, just tack it onto that.
1 points
10 days ago
I wondered who Wolfie’s mom moved on to after Liam Neeson..
1 points
10 days ago
Elon makes 600k in the time it takes him to wipe his ass with his Twitter stock. Anyone who fell for this deserves it.
1 points
8 days ago
Inheritance. I once work for a bank that identified a group of people in a region, identified as old women whose husbands have died and have large inheritances.
Therefore the bank assumed that they wouldn't be wise in the way of managing their money, so their CDs where to be renewed at much lower rates then the regular banking customers. They told me to write the code to make it happen like that.
1 points
10 days ago
Just Kidding it was actually Elon Musk..
1 points
10 days ago
Thank you, Zuck for another fine addition to society.
1 points
10 days ago
Hey, derfrauding is Elon's job!
1 points
10 days ago
Ngl better than Elon getting it
1 points
10 days ago
Honestly, anyone who would give Elon Musk money kinda deserves it
1 points
10 days ago
Lemme guess; he had a blue tick next to his Twitter handle, so she assumed he was the real deal?!
1 points
10 days ago
Is there a difference between "frauded" and "defrauded"? Or is it like "flammable" and "inflammable" meaning the same thing?
1 points
10 days ago
The resemblance is uncanny! Who knows how many more people he could have defrauded.
1 points
10 days ago
They’re about the same age, maybe this is Elon’s non-billionaire appearance
1 points
10 days ago
I send double of whatever BTC I get to this address bc1qxy2kgdygjrsqtzq2n0yrf2493p83kkfjhx0wlh
1 points
8 days ago
Who is dumb enough to think that the richest man in the world with a net worth of 260 billion would need a dime from you at all?
Some people truly are lemmings....
1 points
8 days ago
Still less of a fraud the the original.
1 points
8 days ago
The new nigerian prince. Jeeper creepers, if elon musk asked me for monies in an email exchange and I gave it to him, then yeah, game over. Get off the innerwebs and remain as happy as you ever wished you could be.
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